Tired, children are exhausting. wrote this in like... a half hour? Enjoy
I was reading through my potential third year electives, head resting on Rab's lap with my feet being propped up on Barty's thighs and while it may have looked suggestive for immoral reasons to outsiders, to us it was just a Tuesday.
"Divination, really? Either you have the gift or you don't, why is there even an optional class for the subject?"
I asked this mostly rhetorically since from my perspective I knew the class was taught by a none functional alcoholic in Harry's time, but Rab responded in his usual Rab like manner regardless of that.
"Because more than one high stationed Pure-Blood Family wishes to imagine their spawn can see the future thus they go out of their way to waste the tax payers galleons to pave the way for potential future exploitation?"
Barty glanced up from his book for a moment just to meet my gaze over the rims of his glasses which was just so...
Tenth Doctor...mmm...
"Plus you have to remember that most of the electives are either aimed at the cerebral sort, like our little group here who wishes to learn arithmancy and ancient runes to delve into enchanting and the like, or..."
I raised a brow continuing his thought, "Or they're Gryffindor's who are just filling in the time sheets and need something they can sleep through?"
Barty smirked and turned back towards his book while nodding succinctly, "Precisely."
"I hate this school," I muttered while leafing through the booklet, "Have I mentioned that before?"
"It is a Tuesday yes?" Barty asked casually as he turned the page of his book.
"Yarp," I stated while I turned the pamphlet on its side.
"Then yes you have repeatedly mentioned how much you hate this school," Rab replied flatly.
I nodded in turn, "Good to know some one is paying attention, well done team."
Selecting Arithmancy and Ancient Runes my boys and I submitted our forms for the next semester and wandered off to the Black Lake to go feed the giant squid pieces of toast. Honestly, it was...nice to be this carefree, I just wish it would last even though I knew that was a pipe dream.
My second year at Hogwarts ended, I went home, and I had to deal with an ecstatic Andromeda and a tear jerking Narcissa.
"Don't leave me alone!" The little blonde wailed this as she held Andromeda in a bone cracking hug and I honestly didn't know what to say to the girl.
I mean, she wasn't wrong, she would basically be living alone with mum and dad for a year before she could go to school with us. Unfortunately it fell upon me to keep her appeased, thankfully I had no issues with cheating so I had prepared for this.
"We aren't leaving you alone, in fact I've gone out of my way to set up correspondence between yourself and a muggle-born in your year group I ran into by accident. She's friends with a Half-Blood so she's in the know enough to have a vague understanding of what you're talking about Cissy, but she needs someone who is actually ingrained in our world to guide her through it. Would you like to talk to her?"
My youngest sister sniffled a bit before wiping away her tears, "Is she nice?"
I grinned in return, "I guarantee you that Lily Evans is the nicest witch you'll ever meet! I mean... In so long as you don't threaten her family that is."
Andromeda snorted at that, "Goes without saying doesn't it?"
Thinking of Riddle and the curse the redhead turned on him I could only shrug in response, "You'd be surprised I think. Anyway shall I tell her you wish to have a... Oh! Right term here! A cultural exchange?"
My antics caused my little sister to giggle and she nodded quickly, "Yes Bella, I'd love that."
Suck. It. Dumbledore.
Little James was already my cousin and I just secured the initial allegiance of Lily Evans through my familial connections, if Harry was going to exist in this world, well...
I smirked a bit diabolically as I packed my last uniform into my school trunk while thinking of a phrase I uttered to Riddle years ago, "Knowledge is power, hide it well."
"What was that Bella? Cissy asked, I turned and grinned at my youngest sister while stating, "Nothing dear, now that I am all packed lets go down to the kitchens I heard talk of there being lemon cakes being prepared for tonight."
Cissy let out a delighted squeal and ran out of the room while Andromeda shot me a look, "You are so full of it you know that?"
I grinned in return, "Oh, I am quite aware."
"Good, then lets go make sure Cissy doesn't die from a sugar overdose."
I smiled and took her hand as we walked down to the kitchens, content to take my time just this once.
